MIAMI — Argentine football star Lionel Messi marked his 39th birthday on Wednesday while continuing his playing career with both the Argentina national team and Inter Miami CF, as tributes poured in from fans, teammates and public figures across Argentina and beyond.
Messi, born on June 24, 1987, in Rosario, Argentina, reached the milestone during an active period in his career, with Argentina competing at the 2026 FIFA World Cup and Inter Miami continuing its Major League Soccer campaign. He remains captain of both club and country, according to team and player records.
Celebrations were held across Argentina on Wednesday. Reuters reported that television network Telefé organized a nationwide campaign encouraging supporters to sing “Happy Birthday” to Messi at designated times during the day. Fans gathered at public landmarks, including the Obelisk in Buenos Aires, while messages of congratulations appeared across social media platforms. Argentina President Javier Milei and national team coach Lionel Scaloni were among those who publicly acknowledged the occasion. Scaloni's message was brief: “Happy birthday.”
The birthday comes amid another notable chapter in Messi’s international career. According to multiple media reports, he recently became the leading scorer in World Cup history after adding to his goal tally during Argentina’s opening matches of the tournament. Argentina has already secured advancement from its group and is scheduled to play Jordan in its next match.
Messi’s career has spanned more than two decades, including lengthy spells with FC Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain before joining Inter Miami in 2023. He has won multiple major honors, including the FIFA World Cup with Argentina in 2022, and remains among the most decorated players in the sport.
Inter Miami also marked the occasion with a birthday message for its captain. The club wrote, “Another year of Leo. Another year of magic. Feliz cumple, Capitán,” in a social media post shared on Wednesday.
As of Thursday, Messi remained with the Argentina squad at the World Cup while continuing his professional career with Inter Miami. No retirement announcement has been made, and he remains available for upcoming club and international fixtures, according to publicly available team information.
